Desert Management

Desert Management

Investigating the Effects of Climate Change on the Mobility of Sand Dunes (Case study: Sabzevar City)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Maryam Naemi 1
Samira Zandifar 1
Mohammad Khosroshahi 1
Parvaneh Ashoori 2
Hamidreza Abbasi 1
1 Faculty member of Desert Research Department, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, AREEO, Tehran.
2 Faculty member of Range Research Department, Research Institute of Forests and ‎Rangelands, AREEO, Tehran
10.22034/jdmal.2021.246296
Abstract
Sand dunes are one of the most dynamic geomorphic features of the earth's surface. Accordingly, identifying the factors affecting the mobility of sands and predicting their future status is essential to control dust. The study area was selected due to the location of Sabzevar city in the busiest railway line of the country, and the condition of sand dunes around this city. For this purpose, after calculating the percentage of erosive winds and drought index, the Lancaster index based on the average annual rainfall ratio and annual potential evapotranspiration for the period of 1990-2016 was calculated for analysis of sand dunes' mobility status. To predict the effect of climate change on the mobility of sand dunes, a sensitivity analysis test was carried out. The results show that the values ​​of the Lancaster index in this station did not show the inactive status in this span time period. The results of the analysis of the relationship between drought index and mobility of sand dunes show a significant effect of drought on the mobility and activity of sand dunes. Finally, the results of sensitivity analysis showed that if the frequency of erosive winds and evapotranspiration potential increases by 30%, the activity of sand dunes in the Sabzevar station will increase by 38%. Also, due to the potential of solid particles in creating dust, the location of sand dunes, and the study of local dust at Sabzevar station, the priority is to stabilize the hills located in the east of the study area.
Keywords
Lancaster index
Climatic factors
Sensitivity Analysis
Wind erosion
  1. Abbasi, H. R., Opp, C., Groll, M., Rohipour, H., & Gohardoust, A. (2019). Assessment of the distribution and activity of dunes in Iran based on mobility indices and ground data. Aeolian Research, 41, 100539.
  2. Abbasnejad, A., & Zahabnouri, S. (2012). Identification of forms of wind erosion in ‎Rafsanjan plain. Quantitative geomorphological research, 1(2), 127-144. (in Farsi)
  3. ‎Abtahi, M., & Khosroshahi, M. (2019) Desert domain in Esfahan province by climatological factors, ‎Range and Desert Research, 12 (3), 249-262. ‎‎(in Farsi)‎
  4. Aili, A., Kim Oanh, N.T., & Abuduwaili, J. (2016). Variation Trends of Dust Storms in Relation to Meteorological Conditions and Anthropogenic Impacts in the Northeast Edge of the Taklimakan Desert, China. Air pollution, 5(4), 127- 143.
  5. Ahmadi Birgani, H., McQueen, K. G., Moeinaddini, M., & Naseri, H. (2017). Sand dune encroachment and desertification processes of the Rigboland Sand Sea, Central Iran. Scientific reports, 7(1), 1-10.
  6. Alipour, N., Mesbahzadeh, T., Ahmadi, H., Malekian, A., & Jafari, M. (2018). Synoptic analysis of dust events and its relation with drought in Alborz and Qazvin provinces. Geography (Regional Planning), 8(2), 59-68. ‎(in Farsi)‎
  7. Amgalan, G., Liu, G.R., Lin, T.H., & Kuo, T.H. (2017). Correlation between dust events in Mongolia and surface wind and precipitation. Terrestrial, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, 28(1), 23- 32.
  8. ‎Ashkenazy, Y., Yizhaq, H., & Tsoar, H., (2012) Sand dune mobility under climate change in ‎‎the Kalahari and Australian Deserts. Climatic Change, 112(3), 1-23. ‎
  9. Bing, L.Z., Wenzhi, Y., & Rong, A. (2008) Characteristics and spatial heterogeneity of Tamarix ramosissima Nebkhas in desert-oasis ecotones. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 28(4), 1446-1455.
  10. Bogle, R., Redsteer, M.H. & Vogel, J. (2015). Field measurement and analysis of climatic factors affecting dune mobility near Grand Falls on the Navajo Nation, southwestern United States. Geomorphology, 228, 41-51.
  11. Boroghni, M., Moradi, H., Zanganeh Asadi, M.A., & Pourhashemi S. (2019). Evaluation of the role of drought on the frequency of dust in Khorasan Razavi province. Environmental Science and Technology, 21(5), 109- 121. ‎(in Farsi)‎
  12. Bouchani, M. H., & Fazeli, D. (2011). Environmental Challenges and Consequences - Dust and Its Consequences in Western Iran. Political, Defense and Security Policy, 2(3), 125. ‎(in Farsi)‎
  13. Broomandi, P., Dabir, B., Bonakdarpour, B., & Rashidi, Y. (2017). Identification of dust storm origin in South- West of Iran. Environmental Health Science & Engineering, 15(1), 16-24.
  14. Bryant, R.G., Bigg, G.R., Mahowald, N.M., Eckardt, F.D., & Ross, S.G. (2007). Dust emission response to climate in southern Africa. Geophysical Research D: Atmospheres, 112, D09207.
  15. Csavina, J., Field, J., Félix, O., Corral-Avitia, A.Y., Sáez, A.E. & Betterton, E.A. (2014). Effect of wind speed and relative humidity on atmospheric dust concentrations in semi-arid climates. Science of the Total Environment, 487, 82-90.
  16. Ebrahimi Khusfi, Z., Roustaei, F., Ebrahimi Khusfi, M., & Naghavi, S. (2020). Investigation of the relationship between dust storm index, climatic parameters, and normalized difference vegetation index using the ridge regression method in arid regions of Central Iran. Arid land research and management, 34(3), 239-263.
  17. Ensafi Moghadam, T. (2004). An Investigation and assessment of climatological indices and determination of suitable index for climatological droughts in the Salt Lake Basin of Iran, Range and Desert Research, 11(4), 449- 473. ‎(in Farsi)‎
  18. Ghahreman, N., & Bakhtiari, B. (2009). Solar radiation estimation from rainfall and temperature data in ‎arid and semi-arid climates of Iran. Desert, 14(2), 141-150. ‎ ‎‎
  19. Gharib Reza, M., & Motamed, A. (2004). A study of changes in coastal sand dunes ‎of Sistan and Baluchestan province from 1967 to 1993, Geographical Research Quarterly, ‎‎36(50), 35-47.‎ ‎(in Farsi)‎
  20. Ghavidel Rahimi, Y., Farajzadeh, M., & Lashni Zand, I. (2018). Analysis of temporal changes of dust storms in Khorramabad. Applied Research in Geographical Sciences, 18(51), 87-102. (in Farsi)
  21. Ghazipour, M. (2005). Damage caused by wind erosion, the first national conference ‎on wind erosion, Yazd, Yazd University. ‎(in Farsi)‎.
  22. Hara, Y., Uno, I., & Wang, Z. (2006). Long-term variation of Asian dust and related climate factors. Atmospheric Environment, 40(35), 6730–6740.
  23. Hoover, R. H., Gaylord, D. R., & Cooper, C. M. (2018). Dune mobility in the St. Anthony Dune Field, ‎Idaho, USA: effects of meteorological variables and lag time. Geomorphology, 309, 29-37. ‎
  24. Hosseini, M., Khosroshahi, M., Atapour, A., & Karami, A. (2006). Determination of the Climatic & Geological Deserts Characteristics in Tehran Province. ‎Range and Desert Research, 13(2), 102-108. ‎‎(in Farsi)‎
  25. Houghton, J. T. (2001). Climate Change: the scientific basis, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
  26. Jiang, H., Dun, H., Tong, D., & Huang, N. (2017). Sand transportation and reverse patterns over ‎leeward face of sand dune. Geomorphology, 283, 41-47. ‎
  27. Kang, L., Huang, J., Chen, S., & Wang, X. (2016). Long-term trends of dust events over Tibetan Plateau during 1961–2010. Atmospheric Environment, 125, 188-198.
  28. Khosravi, M., Fotuhi, S., & Piruzadeh, S. (2015). Investigation of temporal-spatial changes of coastal sand dunes using distance measurement (RS) studied: West Zarabad region. Spatial analysis of environmental hazards, 2(4), 1-14. ‎(in Farsi)
  29. Khosroshahi, M., Kashki, M.T., & Ensafi Moghaddam, T. (2009). ‎Determination of climatological deserts in Iran. ‎Range and Desert Research, 16(1), 96-113. ‎‎(in Farsi)‎
  30. Lancaster, N. (1985). Variations in wind velocity and sand transport on the windward flanks of desert sand dunes. Sedimentology, 32(4), 581–593.
  31. Matsushima, D., Reiji, K., Yasunori, K., Ulgiichimeg, G., & Masato, S. (2020). A Method for Estimating the Threshold Wind Speed for Dust Emissions as a Function of Soil Moisture. Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 175(2), 237-257.
  32. Mehrshahi, D., & Nekounam, Z. (2009). Statistical study of dust phenomenon and analysis ‎of dust wind patterns in Sabzevar city. Geographical Society of Iran, 7(22), 83-104. ‎‎(in Farsi)‎
  33. ‎Middleton, N. (2019). Variability and trends in dust storm frequency on decadal ‎‎timescales: Climatic drivers and human impacts. Geosciences, 9(6), 261-271. ‎
  34. Mohammadkhan, S. (2017). Status and trends of dust storms in Iran from 1985 to 2005. Iranian Natural Resources, 70(2), 495-514. ‎(in Farsi)‎
  35. Naeimi, M., & Chu, J. (2017). Comparison of conventional and bio-treated methods as dust suppressants. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 24(29), 23341-23350.
  36. Naeimi, M., Yousefi, M. J., Khosroshahi, M., Zandifar, S., & ‎Ebrahimi Khosafi, Z. (2019). A Study of the Effects of Climatic Factors on Dust, Case ‎Study: West of Khorasan Razavi Province. Geographical Exploration of Desert Areas, 7(2), 25-45. ‎(in Farsi)‎
  37. Negaresh, H., & Latifi, L. (2009). Geomorphological analysis of the progress of sand dunes east of Sistan plain in recent droughts. Geography and Development, 6(12), 43-60. ‎‎(in Farsi)‎
  38. Omidvar, K., & Nekounam, Z. (2011). Application of rose and dust in analyzing dust phenomenon and determining the seasonal regime of winds associated with this phenomenon (Case study: Sabzevar). Natural Geographical Research, 76, 85-104. ‎(in Farsi)‎
  39. Rajaee, T., Rohani, N., Jabbari, E., & Mojaradi, B. (2020). Tracing and assessment of simultaneous dust storms in the cities of Ahvaz and Kermanshah in western Iran based on the new approach. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 13(12), 1-20.
  40. Shahsavani A, Yarahmadi M, Jafarzade Haghighifard N, Naimabadie A, Mahmoudian M, Saki H, Solat, M.H., Soleimani, Z., & Nadafi, K. (2011). Dust Storms: Environmental and Health impacts. North Khorasan University of Medical Science, 2(4), 45-56.‏ (in Farsi)‎
  41. ‎Sharifikia, M., & Rabbani, F. (2020). Source routing and detection of dust storm in the ‎‎Salt Lake basin of Qom in Iran. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 13(14), 1-17. ‎
  42. Sparavigna, A. C. (2013). A study of moving sand dunes by means of satellite images. Sciences, 2.
  43. Sweeney, M. R., Lu, H., Cui, M., Mason, J. A., Feng, H., & Xu, Z. (2016). Sand dunes as potential sources of dust in northern China. Science China Earth Sciences, 59(4), 760-769.
  44. Tavakolifar, A. (2012). Morphology of sand dunes and their relation with wind regime (Case study: Arg Kashan), Master thesis, University of Kashan, Iran. ‎(in Farsi)‎
  45. Tsoar, H. (2005). Sand dunes mobility and stability in relation to climate. Physical Journals, 357(1), 50- 56.
  46. Teymouri, M., Abdullahi Mayvan, M., Nejad Hassan, B., & Geraie, P. (2011). Study of Drought Index Trend in Iran, Research Center for Drought and Drought in Agriculture and Natural Resources, Karaj: First National Conference on Drought and Climate Change, 883-888. ‎‎(in Farsi)‎
  47. Vali, A., & Roustaei, F. (2018). Investigation of the Wind Erosion Trend in Central Iran using Dust Storm Index in the Last Fifty Years, Water and Soil Science, 21(4), 189-200. ‎(in Farsi)‎
  48. Wang, X., Dong, Z., Liu, L., & Qu, J. (2004). Sand sea activity and interactions with climatic parameters in the Taklimakan Sand Sea, China, Arid Environments, 57(2), 225–238.
  49. Wiggs, G.F.S., Livingstone, I., & Warren, A. (1996). The role of streamline curvature in sand dune dynamics: evidence from field and wind tunnel measurements, Geomorphology, 17(1-3), 29– 46.
  50. WMO, (1974). Manual on Codes. WMO Publ. 306, 1.
  51. Yarahmadi, D., Nasiri, B., Khoshkish, A., & Nikbakht, H. (2015). Climatic fluctuations and dusty days in the west and southwest of Iran. Desert Ecosystem Engineering Journal, 3(5), 19-28. ‎(in Farsi)‎
  52. Yizhaq, H., Ashkenazy, Y., & Tsoar, H. (2007). Why do active and stabilized dunes coexist under the same climatic conditions? Physical Review Letters, 98 (18), 98–101.
  53. Yizhaq H, Ashkenazy Y, Tsoar H (2009). Sand dune dynamics and climate change: a modeling approach. Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 114(F1).
  54. Yousefi, Y., & Masoompour Samakosh, J. (2014). Temporal-spatial variability of the severest dry spells ‎in the north-west of Iran. Desert, 19(1), 17-25.
  55. ‎Zhang, W., Qu, J., Tang, L., Jing, Z., Bian, K., & Niu, Q. (2016). Environmental dynamics ‎‎of a star dune. Geomorphology, 273(15), 28-38.
Desert Management
Volume 9, Issue 2 - Serial Number 18
7 Articles
Summer 2021
Pages 1-18

  • Receive Date 07 October 2020
  • Revise Date 27 December 2020
  • Accept Date 31 December 2020